Plant Opening

Having driven much of the company’s growth in Asia-Pacific as regional general manager, and having taken the risk of investing in the company’s first South Korean operation, Bill Hudson, who had become CEO of the global corporation, was rightfully proud to dedicate a second plant there after ten years. Skaare had to simply absorb the CEO’s contagious enthusiasm and turn it into an energetic and memorable text for the occasion.

CEO’s Remarks: Korean Plant Opening (excerpts)

This is a special event in the history of AMP Incorporated and a very special event for me.

Ten years ago, AMP found a new home, a new family of employees, and a bright new opportunity in South Korea.

Ten years ago, South Korea found a new partner in AMP to help achieve the goal of becoming a respected industrial nation.

And ten years ago, I put business integrity to the test.

I came here a decade ago on behalf of AMP, believing that quality employees and quality manufacturing processes result in high-quality products and strong growth. We invested in South Korea on that belief. We built a plant and trained people in the AMP special way of doing business.

Today, I come with the same pride and even greater optimism about the future. Once again, I come to dedicate a plant to demonstrate our commitment to South Korea and to mutual growth.

My message back then is the same today: AMP has been built on quality and integrity; AMP-Korea is being built on quality and integrity.

Deciding where in the Asia-Pacific region to invest in the mid-1980s was not easy. We looked long and hard before we moved into South Korea. Why?

Some skeptics warned us about the financial risks of making significant investments in plant and equipment.

Other skeptics questioned whether South Korea would ever be a strong competitor in the world market.

Still other skeptics questioned whether the economic boom here at the time would continue.

And we at AMP wondered whether or not we could conduct business with Korea from our operations in Japan, Taiwan, and elsewhere instead of building here.

Why then did we invest?

We invested in South Korea because, where others saw only risk, we saw great opportunities balancing that risk.

We invested in South Korea because we discovered people who were energetic, committed to hard work, and intelligent. Those three ingredients — energy, hard work and intelligence — we knew would make South Korea and AMP Korea formidable business forces.

We invested in South Korea because we saw a country determined to create its own identity. We saw a country that had borrowed some management systems and technology from others but were shaping those resources and their own resources into new ideas and innovative technologies.

Korea in 1985 was tired of following Japan, Taiwan and other countries. You wanted a distinctly Korean business profile. And you have succeeded in doing that.

You have had a clear vision of what you wanted to be and a solid plan for seizing opportunities that have improved the quality of life for the Korean people. AMP has been proud to have been a partner with you in that success.